911 dispatcher delivers baby boy over the phone

This is an archived article and the information in the article may be outdated. Please look at the time stamp on the story to see when it was last updated.

911 dispatcher delivers baby boy over the phone

SPARTANBURG, SC (WHNS) — An Upstate dad became a doctor, at least for a few minutes, when he delivered his own baby boy with the help of a Spartanburg 911 dispatcher.

Spartanburg County dispatcher Floyd Thompson got the 911 call that was a first for him. He said when he got the call from the Lutzs, Rob Lutz said his wife was in labor, but the baby wasn’t waiting for an ambulance.

911 Dispatch: “What’s the address of your emergency?”

Rob Lutz: “My wife’s having a baby.”

911 Dispatch: “OK.”

Rob Lutz: “It’s crowning.”

Laura Lutz said when her water broke and the contractions became really intense, she knew her husband needed to call 911.

“Little Jude was in a big hurry. He didn’t want to wait,” Laura Lutz said.

But Thompson quickly realized it was up to him and Rob Lutz to help her through the delivery. Rob Lutz said Thompson remained calm while he was in the moment, even yelling at some points.

911 Dispatch: “OK, you said the head’s already out, right?”

Rob Lutz: “Yes, he’s coming out all the way.”

911 Dispatch: “Alright as the baby delivers, support the baby’s head and shoulders and hold it width and length firmly. Remember the baby will be slippery, so don’t drop it.”

Thompson was there every step of the way, instructing Rob Lutz how to tie off the umbilical cord. The Lutzs said they used a Christmas ribbon to improvise in the fast-developing situation.

“This was my first over-the-phone delivery,” Thompson said. “It was definitely a different experience. Thanks to our exceptional training that 911 gives us, I felt like I was pretty prepared for it.”

Thompson guided the Lutzs through baby Jude’s birth then got the chance to meet the family, which he said is a rare occasion.

“We wanted to definitely meet Floyd and have Jude meet Floyd and thank him for keeping us all calm and taking care of the delivery,” Laura Lutz said.

911 Dispatch: “Good luck.”

Rob Lutz: “Thank you.”

911 Dispatch: “You’re welcome. Congratulations.”

The Lutzs said by the time they realized it was time to get to the hospital and wake up their other kids, it was just too late.